Weekend Gem-Flats and Fodderstack Loop

Now imagine if you will a quiet Smoky Mountains. Well, on the other side of Fontana Lake you will find all the great things that make the Smokies memorable like balds, epic river valleys and big trees without all the hoopla. Welcome to the Citico, Joyce Kilmer, Bald River and Snowbird areas of Appalachia. Quiet trails lead to scenic destinations sprinkled throughout this large interconnected trail system that would make any hardy backpacker smile. This # mile loop has got the goods, fun and challenging ridge lines with good views, nice cascading creeks and isolation. Start out at Grassy Gap and backtrack on the road about a half mile to Eagle Gap, the start of Flats Mtn. TR #102. Hike up this old road through a couple of open meadows, the last with a nice dry camp. Soon, the way turns into a proper trail as it coasts along with nice views down to Indian Boundary Lake and across the Cherokee NF. The last bit of this trail shoots down to a road, make a right and take it down about a mile until you get to the Citico Creek and make a right again. Make a left onto Rocky Flats TR #100 and climb above the Creek. This fairly erratic trail as it climbs up around and over small creeks that spit off the side of Fodderstack. Sometimes you follow the creek beds up or down them as you make your way back down to the road again. Once out on the road again make a right and follow it for a short distance until you see Mill Branch #96. This really scenic trail has one major crossing (rock hop) as it goes higher where the Creek is smaller and follows it skipping over it several times. You will see Big Stack Gap notch ahead of you on a rolling slope. When you see a more open forest with several bigger trees down around you, make a camp here where the Branch begins or climb a bit more following ribbons to the Gap itself. Either way, it is a really nice place to spend the night.

Wake up after a quiet night and get an early start on the day. Quiet and less traveled trails lake the ones in the Citico can be overgrown, hard to follow with downed trees to climb over. For that reason, I like to allow more time in case they are really jacked up. They were in good shape this time around so travel time on top of the ridge was smooth sailing! Climb up slowly to the shoulder of Big Fodderstack where the trail makes a sharp left near a favorite camp of mine. I love this section of the Ridge. It has great views across Slickrock Creek to the Hangover Ridge before it makes a plunge to Yellowhammer Gap and down to the Citico and beyond on the other side. The roaring Creeks can be heard carving their ways through these scenic canyons, it’s great to be alive. A short decent delivers you to Harrison Gap with a nice, but dry camp. The great scenery keeps on rolling by you as you climb up to Rockstack with good views of the upper portion of Slickrock Canyon. You can hear the river roaring through the upper falls area from this elevation. It sounds surprisingly close, close enough to conure up memories of hiking it’s trail but far enough to keep your mind present on the ridge ahead. A short decent to Glenn Gap then a quick climb brings you over the shoulder of Chestnut Knob. The ridge rides flatter for a bit to the nice camp at Cherry Log Gap. Here the North Citico TR.  starts down in a most impressive canyon. This is truly one of the most scenic drainages in this section of the Appalachian Mountains. If you haven’t hiked this one, you should. I have a trip report on here from last year when I went up S. Citico and down the North one if you need some more information, but on this trip, I was set on going down the South Branch, gotta stick to your gut. Here you have the opportunity to stay on the lower BMT route or 54A that stays true to the ridge. I like the latter more, so I usually take that one even though it involves more climbing. Go by the Stratton/Bob Bald intersection on your left and fondly reflect about staying up on this lovely spot. Soon, a quick decent brings you to #105 or S. Fork Citico. Make that right and begin your plunge. This trail is fairly well grated and becomes a old road bed. Views of the canyon start opening up by the #196 intersection as you stay close to the Creek. In a bit, the waterway cuts deeper into the canyon and you are above it while it roars below. This is my favorite stretch of #105.  At the end of this section, the way starts dropping down back to meet the creek. This section is a little washed out, but easy enough to follow. When you hit the Creek, make camp at a awesome spot next to Eagle Creek and the main drag. Enjoy a lovely sunset along this little piece of paradise.

 

After a very nice rest and a great breakfast, head out a little downstream to your crossing on the left up #91 Eagle Creek TR. Start up the trail as it hops over the creek several times. Make sure to keep your wits about you as the trail is a little harder to follow than others in this wilderness. This otherwise lovely trail follows this cascading creek as it makes it way to higher ground. It never gets too far away from the Creek itself, maybe a couple hundred feet at best. Soon the way starts leveling off as the you make your way to Grassy Gap. Pop out of the forest and climb the last several feet back to your rig. Enjoy a nice quiet trailhead as you change into your everyday cloths and pop open a reward beer, life is good!